Main Street open through the morning commute at the site of Thursday's fire

HARTFORD — The process of demolishing a building heavily damaged by fire on Main Street near the intersection with High Street continues Friday afternoon.

Crews were out on Thursday after the fire removing a billboard on top of the building, city officials said.

Kenneth Onalty, 46, was charged with reckless burning and criminal trespass in connection with the fire. He told authorities he had been living in the building for several months and on Thursday set some papers on fire to keep warm. He insisted, however, that he extinguished the fire, he said in a statement to police.

Firefighters were called to 1363 Main St. about 3:45 a.m. and when they arrived had to rescue Onalty from the building's second floor. He was taken to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center for treatment of smoke inhalation, and later charged.

The building was heavily damaged by the fire and Main Street was closed in the area through the morning and into the evening commute. Nearby Capital Preparatory Magnet School was closed as a result.